Helen S

North England

AboutHelen S

Helen is a teacher of English as a foreign language. She became an English teacher after working for many years as a primary school teacher. Helen is a very sociable person and enjoys being a home stay teacher because she can to continue teach whilst meeting very interesting people.

Academic information

Helen has the CELTA to teach English as a foreign language. Before doing that she had worked for many years as a Primary school teacher (PGCE), a Head teacher (NPQH) and a Specialist Advisory Language teacher. She has a degree in Zoology. She also has postgraduate teaching diplomas in dyslexia, autism and language difficulties.

Courses taught

Family information

Helen is married to Malcolm. He is also a teacher of English as a foreign language. Before taking early retirement, Malcolm was a secondary school head teacher and taught Biology.
Helen and Malcolm have four grown up children. All four, three sons and a daughter, live and work in London. One works as an architect and the others work, respectively, as a furniture designer, a web designer and a photographer. The family’s interests include music, meeting people, skiing, walking, cooking and travelling. They also have one very friendly West Highland Terrier and one friendly cat. Helen is a very sociable person and enjoys being a home stay teacher because she can to continue teach whilst meeting very interesting people.
Helen enjoys reading and cooking. She is a keen skier and swimmer. Helen plays the flute and likes music generally.

Helen’s Photos

About the teacher’s accommodation

Helen lives in a lovely detached house with a garden in a village location. The market town of Cockermouth is close by, as well as the larger towns of Workington and Carlisle, Cumbria’s capital city. Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Newcastle are easily accessible on the train for a day trip.

There are two double bedrooms and one single room with access to WiFi available to students. There is also a private bathroom available on request.

Airport transfers can be arranged for a fee to and from Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports.

About the local area

Helen lives in a small village called Eaglesfield in Cumbria in the north-west of England. It is a 5-minute drive to the pretty market town of Cockermouth where there are shops, tearooms and a leisure centre with a swimming pool and gym. 15 minutes away is Workington which has a cinema. Helen’s house is an ideal base from which to explore the beautiful Lake District. There are mountains to climb, lakes to explore and wonderful views to survey. If you enjoy water sports, this is an ideal place for canoeing, kayaking, wind surfing and sailing.
For lovers of the author Beatrix Potter and the poet William Wordsworth, there is much to see as they both had strong connections with the area.
The cathedral city of Carlisle is 45 minutes away. The city has museums, art galleries, medieval buildings, a 900-year-old castle and Roman remains.
The quaint, picturesque market town of Keswick has interesting shops, museums and historic houses. A day trip to Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, is also possible (90 minutes by train).

Excursions available with this teacher

Have fun in the Lake District – Walk up a hill or around a lake. Take a swim or have a BBQ on the shore. Stop off at a local pub hidden in the hills. Hire a mountain bike and cycle through the forests. Have a go on the zip wires and ‘walk’ high up in the trees.

Cost: Free (Mountain biking and Zip wire activities will incur a fee)

Visit a Border City – Visit the city of Carlisle – the last before Scotland. Take a tour of the Medieval Castle; visit the Roman Museum and beautiful Cathedral founded in 1122. Browse a good selection of shops.

Cost: Free (Museum and Castle will have an entrance fee)

Visit our local town of Cockermouth – Walk around the town and along the river bank
Take afternoon tea at The Trout Hotel – dating from the 17th century
Visit famous Jennings Brewery for a tour
Visit the Art Gallery
Visit Wordsworth House and Gardens, the birthplace of the poet William Wordsworth

Cost: Free

A trip to Keswick – Visit Keswick, a bustling town with many cafes, old pubs and mountain gear shops
Walk to the lake, Derwentwater, and hire a rowing boat or take a trip on a steamer.
Play mini golf in the park

Cost: Free (Boat trips will incur a fee)

Edinburgh – Take a day trip to Edinburgh – a beautiful city of culture, history and great shops.
Visit the castle, art galleries, museums, the Royal Mile and shop in Princes Street. Take an open top bus tour of the city.
During August you can attend Edinburgh’s famous Fringe Festival of music, dance, and theatre